Sometimes, you might put all your mind and time into installing your floor tiles perfectly, but the result seems unpleasant at the end of the day. Of course, it feels annoying seeing your floor tiles in a crooked layout, looking unattractive especially knowing that you have invested all your expertise into the project.
So, what could be the problem? Most likely, it could be that you got it wrong at some point using the materials, or you maybe you mishandle some of the tools. When things go the wrong way we project, there will be a lot of maybes in your mind.
However, identifying the maybes does not in any way make you better. At best, you would avoid those suggested maybes the next time and still discover that you have not gotten the perfect result you desire.
Instead, it is better to know where you particularly missed it and right your wrongs to best results. To clear your mind of those unsubstantial maybes and learn the correct way to lay your floor tiles for excellent outcomes, here are some proven common mistakes that most DIYers make when handling their tiling projects.
These common mistakes are compiled from the testimonies of veteran tile installers who have learned their commendable expertise from a series of trials and errors. Are you ready to learn new ways of installing your ceramic floor tiles? Let’s solve some problems.
1. Placing your floor tiles without placing joints
One of the general mistakes when laying your ceramic floor tiles is to place the tiles without placing joints, commonly called grout lines. You must always place the joints of your floor tiles correctly, and it must be between 1mm and 2mm. Although most people prefer to go for the 1mm measure, based on experience, I will recommend 2mm. Meanwhile, I am not giving it as a verdict. You can choose between the two measurements depending on the thickness of your floor tiles.
Placing the joint goes beyond a mere aesthetic appearance; it has more importance in technical functions, including reducing dimensional differences between ceramic floor tiles, absorbing surface tensions, or letting condensation disperse. It also helps the mortar to set perfectly.
It is alarming that many people overlook some details when placing the grout line, and that is because the joint placement has overshadowed the surface. It is better to replace some of the broken ceramic floor tiles. That way, you will save some possible touch-ups which may want affect the final finishing of the flooring. Suppose you’re going to have the best flooring finish. In that case, you must learn how to place the grout line accurately before placing your ceramic floor tiles.
2. Selecting less suitable adhesive
Another prevalent mistake is that many tilers don’t select the most suitable adhesive or bond type for their ceramic floor tiles. Using traditional mortar won’t give you that attractive aesthetic result you desire. It doesn’t glue anything. Suppose you are working with ceramic floor tiles with high porosities. In that case, you will need a more mechanical adhesion than the traditional mortar. However, if the porosities of your ceramic tiles, even if not all of them, are medium-low, you will need to add some chemical components like polymer enhancement to your adhesives.
It is always good to have well-sticking adhesives that will make your ceramic tiles glue perfectly to the ground. Especially if you’re installing the tiles in a space experiencing high foo traffic, your durable ceramic floor tiles might not serve you as long as you expect before they start to pull off one after the other. With that in mind, you must ensure to use the best suitable adhesive for your ceramic tiles, and that depends on the material of the tile
3. Placing your floor tiles on dots of adhesives
Placing your floor tiles on dot adhesives will mar the overall beauty of your floor and affect some of its technical functions. Suppose you speak to some intermediate tile installer. In that case, they might flood with some fantastic testimonies that may want to justify placing your floor tiles on dots or dabs, and some call it. While some tilers claim it is faster, some say it helps them get a more accurate ground level. They might even tell you that is how they have been doing it for years, but that doesn’t mean it is the best.
But just before you take the plunge and copy the so-called fantastic placement technique, think about the minimum 80% coverage required to ensure adequate adhesion of ceramic floor tiles. What about the bubbles? More than that, you also need to consider the airbags generated, which are the primary reason your tiles break when you drill their surface. It is also why new gorgeous floor tiles become easily damaged when dish or glass drops on the kitchen floor.
Placing your ceramic tiles does not require high professionalism. You don’t need polymer enhanced adhesive to install floor tiles with medium-high porosities with traditional mortar. You can read about The Best 10 Basic Tools to Install Your Floor Tiles by visiting http://garagerepairpasadena.com/the-best-10-basic-tools-to-install-your-floor-tiles/
4. Using the simple glui9ng method
This mistake is quite in line with the number 3 above but has different consequences. When installing large format ceramic floor tiles, you must always use the double-bonding method to accurately lay them on the surface. These principles also apply whether you are working on the interior or exterior space.
All ceramic tiles larger than 30 x 30 cm needs double-bonding. Otherwise, you might do an excellent job and get a shabby result at the end. To achieve a perfect finish, cut narrow strips in floor-wall meetings. The placement of thin strips is the most apparent consequence if they fail to set your layout correctly.
It is easier to avoid the narrow strips. Elevating when setting out your layout from the center of the space is only essential.
Final Words
The world of home décor is evolving by the day. It is better to move with the trend to step up your tiling skills and land more significant projects. Most of the above common mistakes have worked for some tilers in the past. Hence they may convince you otherwise. However, avoiding these common mistakes will give you a perfect ceramic flooring that everybody will admire.